Thieving liquid sampler



Dec. 31, 1957 J. s. PORTER THIEVING LIQUID SAMPLER Filed June 12, 1957 Fig.6

Fig. 4

INVENTOR. JOHN S. PORTER 42m Mam United States Patent 6 THIEVING LIQUID SAMPLER John S. Porter, Escondido, Calif. Application June 12, 1957, Serial No. 665,276

3 Claims. (Cl. 73-4254) The present invention relates generally to means for checking and sampling liquid, and more particularly to a liquid sampler with special means for thieving a sample at a given depth and for dumping this sample when such dumping is desired.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a liquid sampler which can be lowered to a given depth in the liquid and then opened to secure the required quantity of the liquid at that particular depth, without danger of the core or sample becoming mixed with liquid at a different depth.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid sampler wherein the necessary valve opening is accomplished by a mere manual jerking of the sampling tube, whereafter the sample can be raised and inspected or retained for analysis, or simply returned to the tank by a simple manipulation of the apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment for a liquid sampler of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,751,787, whereby the sampler of the patent is adapted for thieving operation.

Still another object of this invention, ancillary to the immediately preceding object, is to provide such an attachment as can be easily carried in the pocket of an operator and incorporated into the liquid sample only when required, thus making for optimum convenience of operation.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such an attachment as requires absolutely no change whatever in the liquid sampler as used for operations other than securement of samples restricted to particular depths. In other words when a core or sample for disclosing stratification, presence of condensation water, and the like, is desired the said attachment simply is not used.

With these objects definitely in view, along with other objects which will appear hereinafter as this description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the closure member constituting the attachment for thieving;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of said attachment;

Figure 3 is a vertical, central sectional view of said attachment;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a liquid sampler valve assembly, with a sampling tube and measuring tape shown fragmentarily, and showing the said closure member as the same in manually placing on the lower end of the valve assembly to close the end of the valve while the sampling tube and valve assembly are being lowered to the depth at which the sample is to be thieved;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 and showing the closure member in a second position thereof, the result of a quick jerk on the sampling tube, in which second 2,817,969 Patented Dec. 31, .1957

position the closure member prevents the valve operator from holding the valve open; and

Figure 6 is a vertical, central sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 5 with the closure member shown in side elevation as from the right hand side of Figure 5 and with the upper, forward portion of this closure member broken away to disclose the structure of the valve operator.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail this invention includes a sampling tube 10, preferably of transparent plastic material, they lower end only thereof being shown and this lower end is permanently secured to a hollow element 12 of the tubular or sleeve form, by means of a transverse pin 14 extending through both tube and hollow element. A flexible, metal measuring tape16 extends throughout the length of the tube 10, the lower end portion only being illustrated, and this lower end is also secured relative to the tube 10 and element 12 by the pin 14.

The hollow element 12 has a fluid inlet 18 in what may be considered its lower end and a simple valve 20 closes the inlet 18 under the force of gravity acting on the valve itself and on fluid entrapped in the tube 10, until such time as the pressure differential is such. as to open this valve. The operation of this valve, or one extremely similar thereto, is fully disclosed in my said Patent No. 2,751,787. A yoke 24, generally U-shaped, is pivoted on the lower end portion of an inertia element by means of opposed, outwardly extending trunnions 26.

The closure member, generally indicated by the numeral 28, defines a cup between an upstanding, annular flange 30 and a plate-like body portion 32 as best illustrated in Figure 1. Slits 34 are provided in the upstanding flange 30, and since the closure member will ordinarily be constructed of plastic which is somewhat resilient, the slits 34 permit the tight engagement of the closure member on the lower end of the hollow element 12, by mere manual pressing of the closure member on to the member 12 to assume the position illustrated in Figure 4. In this position the inlet 18 is completely closed. The apparatus is now conditioned for. being lowered to the desired depth at which a sample of the liquid is to be thieved. To accomplish this, the operator gives the sampling tube 10 a sharp vertical jerk and the inertia element 22 moves downwardly relative to the hollow element 12, carrying with it the yoke 24 and the closure member 28, thus opening the inlet 18 and the fluid is free to flow into the sampling tube.

Provision must be made to prevent escape of this fluid as the tube is raised and provision must also be made to prevent liquid at other depth from entering the tube. This is accomplished in the following manner. The lugs 36 on the closure member 28 are provided with opposed keyhole slots 38 which receive bight portions of the yoke 24 and the closure member is thus made free to pivot into the position indicatedin Figure 5 whenthe inertia member 22 is shifted as aforesaid. In other words, the closure member 28 is acted upon by the force of gravity and also affected by the resistance of the liquid and will ordinarily assume a position either identical with that shown in Figure 5 or at least some position other than that shown in Figure 4 when the inertia member is returned upwardly by the spring 40, which spring is compressed between the upper end of the hollow element 12 and an inner shoulder 42 on the upper end of the inertia member 22, externally and coaxially of the tube 10. In this position the closure member 28 prevents the valve operator 44, and inwardly bent central portion of the bight portion of the yoke 24, from entering the inlet 18 ice and unseatin'g 'the valve20. Actually theclosurememher in this position can better be thought of as merely making the valve operator 44 inoperative, with the result that, when the tube and valve are raised, the valve 20 remains closed and retains the sample.

Having inspected the sample or having securedrthezrequired amount thereof for 'analysis or the like, the operator will now desire to dump the sample or the remains thereof back into the tank. This :is accomplished simply and easily by the mere removal :of the closure member from the yoke 24, and allowing the valve operator 44 to unseat the valve 20, the tube being lowered sufiiciently to allow substantially complete draining thereof. Int this respect, it may be noted that the yoke 24 is of resilient material and the arms .thereof are urged radially outwardly into engagement with the inner bore face at the lower end of the inertia member 22, this obviously resulting in the biasing of the yoke toward axial alignment with theinertia 22, landthe valve operator 44 is thus aligned with the inlet 18 and valve 20.

-Whi1e this invention and'the'entire foregoing specification is primarily concerned with the provision of means for thieving a liquid sample and returning'the sample to the tank, it may be noted that the structure disclosed in Figure 6 with the closure member 28 removed can be used, essentially. according to the teaching in'my Patent No. 2,75l;787,' for the securing of core samples inthe ordinary manner. Tovdo thisythe yoke 24 ismerely retracted into an oblique position with the valve oper- :atonresting onthe exterior curved surface at the lower end of the hollow element 12. The tube canthen be lowered, usually completely to the bottom or thetank, the valve 20 being; free to open as theresult of the 'ditferential inipressure and, jof course, immediately closing tofretainthecore 'sample-when the tube is raised. To dump'this core' sample, the tube is lowered again to the 'same level and a quick jerk will cause the inertiaelement -22 to be -move'd relative tothe hollow'element 12, releasing theyoke from its-engagementon the side of the hollow element and, as before-described, the resilient 'yoke is biased bythe 'action were inner bore face 46 into alignment-with the inlet 18 and as a'result,- when the inertia'member is returned -by*-the'spring 40,"the valve operator 44' opens the valve 20: and dumps the core Isample, retaining the valve *openas *the tube is raisedand emptied. Thedis'closure in thisparagraph; it is repeated, idoes not relateto the thieving operationand is included here i in: order that there -be no question as to the completetlisclosure of the present improvements'in my device.

The -operationofthis invention h'as' already been detailed in this connection-with the*foregoing description of the physical embodiment-of the =inventionand'it is believed'that no "further discussion of the operation is required.

Minor v'aria'ti'ons'of the disclosed embodiment-may be "resorted to *withoutfieparture from the spirit arid scope of this invention. -""For examplefthespecificshape of the closure meriiber '28'can be variedmaterially without an'ywcorresponding significant change in-"its functioning, the essential features being-prbbalbly the provisionof some 'element,'cup orcap to closethe inlet l8;imeans tohold 'the valv'e operator 44 in ino'pcrativepositionas indicated in Figures 5 and 6. It is conceived that this closure member can be shifted to a third position While still remaining on the valve assembly although it is completely inoperative in this third position, such an embodiment possibly entailing the shifting of the keyhole slot 38, or its equivalent, so that the closure member can be at tached to the side of the yoke .24. Still other means could be employed, all within the general concept of this invention, and the foregoing specification and drawing should be considered as illustrative rather than limited.

I claim:

1. Auli'quid-samplercomprising: a sampling tube; a valve assembly including a hollow element on one end of said tube, therebeing an inlet in said element, a valve normally closing said inlet, an inertia element slidably mounted on said element, a spring biasing said inertia element to move in one direction; a valve opener carried by said inertiaelement;.-a =member closing said inlet in one-position of the member to prevent entry ofliquid into the. tube during the lowering of the tube into-a liquid in thewfirst'part' of'a-thieving operation; said member being connected to said inertia element to be shifted to uncover-the inlet when saidelements are relatively shifted, to a secondtpositionz holding said valve opener in, inoperativexpositionv tosretain fluid in the tube whilebeing raised; and;said:member 'being easily removable making said valve openenoperationalfor dumping the measured liquid from the tube.

2. A liquid-sampler: according to claim 1 wherein said elements: are-coaxialysaidspring being compressed be- ,tweenonewendzof said hollow element and a portion'of saidsinentia element;:said inletsbeing axial of the other taxial bore portion- 0f. said inertia. element .so that said valve engaging portion islbiased toward alignmentlwith :said inlet and valve; said member being a cap pivotally and removably secured on said yoke.

i 3. The combination in a thieving liquid sampler comprising a sampling tube; a one-way valve assembly having an inlet at one end of the tube and a valve closing said inlet; an inertia element operatively connected -to:said "valve assemblyand h'aving a valve opener holding said valve open in one position of inertia element; closure means distinct from-said valve to close said inlet; said closure means-also constituting, in a second position thereof, as means rendering said opener and saidclosure means temporarily inoperative; said closure means being easily removablemaking said valve opener operational,

for-dumping afiuid sample from said tube, said valve opener being a yoke carried by said inertia element, and saidzclosuremeans being a cup member pivotally mounted References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED-STATES PATENTS Quist Aug. 19, 1952 Porter June 26, 1956 

